Ethics Tenet 3

Ethics Tenet 3

Demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees, and the public.

Guidelines:

Public Confidence: Members should conduct themselves so as to maintain public confidence in their position and profession, the integrity of their local government, and in their responsibility to uphold the public trust.

Length of Service. For chief administrative/executive officers appointed by a governing body or elected official, a minimum of two years is considered necessary to render a professional service to the local government. In limited circumstances, it may be in the best interests of the local government and the member to separate before serving two years. Some examples include refusal of the appointing authority to honor commitments concerning conditions of employment, a vote of no confidence in the member, or significant personal issues. It is the responsibility of an applicant for a position to understand conditions of employment, including expectations of service. Not understanding the terms of employment prior to accepting does not justify premature separation. For all members a short tenure should be the exception rather than a recurring experience, and members are expected to honor all conditions of employment with the organization.

Appointment Commitment. Members who accept an appointment to a position should report to that position. This does not preclude the possibility of a member considering several offers or seeking several positions at the same time. However, once a member has accepted a formal offer of employment, that commitment is considered binding unless the employer makes fundamental changes in the negotiated terms of employment.

Credentials. A member’s resume for employment or application for ICMA’s Voluntary Credentialing Program shall completely and accurately reflect the member’s education, work experience, and personal history. Omissions and inaccuracies must be avoided.

Professional Respect. Members should demonstrate professional respect for colleagues, including predecessors, successors, and others who might be candidates for the same position. Professional respect does not preclude sharing honest differences of opinion privately between colleagues; it does preclude attacking a person’s motives or integrity, undermining them, or actively interfering with their work.

Showing professional respect involves acknowledging power dynamics between different career points and tenures. Undue influence, abuse of power, and intimidation are inappropriate and must be avoided.

A member no longer working in service to a local government should be mindful of professional respect before running for elected office in a jurisdiction where they recently served.

Reporting Ethics Violations. When becoming aware of a possible violation of the ICMA Code of Ethics, members are encouraged to report possible violations to ICMA. In reporting the possible violation, members may choose to go on record as the complainant or report the matter on a confidential basis.

Confidentiality. Members should not discuss or divulge information with anyone about pending or completed ethics cases, except as specifically authorized by the Rules of Procedure for Enforcement of the Code of Ethics.

Seeking Employment. Members should not seek employment for a position that has an incumbent who has not announced his or her separation or been officially informed by the appointive entity that his or her services are to be terminated. Members should not initiate contact with representatives of the appointive entity. Members contacted by representatives of the appointive entity body regarding prospective interest in the position should decline to have a conversation until the incumbent’s separation from employment is publicly known.

Relationships in the Workplace. Members should not engage in an intimate or romantic relationship with any elected official or board appointee, employee they report to, one they appoint and/or supervise, either directly or indirectly, within the organization.

This guideline does not restrict personal friendships, professional mentoring, or social interactions with employees, elected officials and Board appointees.

Influence. Members should conduct their professional and personal affairs in a manner that demonstrates that they cannot be improperly influenced in the performance of their official duties.

Conflicting Roles. Members who serve multiple roles – either within the local government organization or externally – should avoid participating in matters that create either a conflict of interest or the perception of one. They should disclose any potential conflict to the governing body so that it can be managed appropriately.

Conduct Unbecoming. Members should treat people fairly, with dignity and respect and should not engage in, or condone bullying behavior, harassment, sexual harassment, unwelcome contact, advances, or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Members should foster respectful, inclusive environments in all professional and social settings.

Case Study – Public Confidence

A City Manager has been serving for a number of years within a City.  He recently bought a share of a towing business that operates within the County but not within the City he is managing.  He and his partners have decided to expand their business and are considering that expansion within the City he manages.  The Police Department has a rotating system to make calls for roadside assistance. The City Manager and partners have decided to submit the information needed to be placed on the City rotation list. Since the service selected is by rotation, and the City Manager’s Office does not get involved with determining who is on the rotation list, it would be OK to have his company involved as long as he has a known, hands-off position regarding the rotation list. In addition, the manager is not involved in arbitrating issues between the towing firm and situations in which, for example, a disgruntled citizen was towed.